Against the Grain (A Rebours.) - Tapa blanda

Because of his extreme sensitivity to the absurd and grotesque in human affairs, the protagonist of this masterpiece of decadence has estranged himself from society and savors the most bizarre aspects of human existence in his quest for novelty. This landmark novel is filled with weird images and biting wit. Introduction by Havelock Ellis.

Joris Karl Huysmans (1848 - 1907), a French novelist, was born in Paris to a French mother and a Dutch father. He joined the Ministry of the Interior as a civil servant at the age of 20. Huysmans also fought the Franco - Prussian war and was a supporter of the French Decadent Movement. He is best - known for his novel, A Rebours (1884), which features a single character, the aesthete des Esseintes, who wants to flee Paris and the vulgarity of modern life. His other works include L - Bas (1891), and Certains (1889).